Selected Works of Zhang Zhigong (Volume 1 and 2)

Author: Mei Lei
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 1998-11-01
Features: The Selected Works of Zhang Zhigong were finally published on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Mr. Zhang Zhigong's birth, coinciding with the opening of the "Symposium on Zhang Zhigong's Educational Thought." In November 1995, Peking University Press, the Department of Chinese at Peking University, and the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School Chinese Textbook Compilation Group held a "Experience Exchange and Award Ceremony for Experimental Regions Participating in Zhang Zhigong's Junior High School Chinese Textbooks" in Beijing. Mr. Zhang attended the event, delivered a lengthy speech centered on experiments and exchanges, and awarded prizes to the winning experimental regions and teachers. He also took group photos with the attendees. Many teaching researchers and teachers proposed the establishment of a "Zhang Zhigong Educational Thought Research Association" at the meeting. Upon learning of this, Mr. Zhang discussed the matter with me, Zhao Dapeng, and Gu Dexi. Mr. Zhang said, "First, let's not establish the association. If we do, we might end up with nothing substantial—it would just be an empty name. I think we should focus on research first, wait for some achievements, and let it develop naturally. I have an idea: November is my 79th birthday. According to Beijing customs, we celebrate the 9th but not the 10th. You three should discuss and list some topics, ask people to prepare, I'll make a list, and in November, invite some scholars from Beijing to hold a meeting to discuss things and celebrate my birthday. We don't need to invite anyone from outside—otherwise, it will cost a lot of money." We all agreed with Mr. Zhang's practical and non-boastful approach and promised to prepare thoroughly. However, he didn't live to see this day. On the morning of May 29, after the farewell ceremony at Babaoshan, I, Zhang Hugan, Zhao Dapeng, Gu Dexi, Xue Chuandong, Zhang Binfu, and several others accompanied Mr. Zhang's family to the No. 1 furnace, bidding him farewell with tears in our eyes. After leaving, we gathered in a pavilion inside the west gate of Babaoshan, heavy-hearted, and decided:
1. Revise the textbooks as per Mr. Zhang's request;
2. The celebration of the 9th couldn't happen now—let's hold the symposium when he turns 80. We thought this would be a meaningful tribute to him.
Mr. Zhang was deeply concerned with every aspect of the junior high school Chinese textbooks he edited, from writing to experimentation. He not only trained the main compilers in the summer of 1992, elaborating on the guiding principles and key issues of textbook writing, but also attended multiple consultation meetings and teacher training sessions, providing timely guidance on the writing and experimentation of the textbooks. For example:
(1) In May 1993, shortly after the first volume of the textbooks was published, Peking University Press and the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School Chinese Textbook Compilation Group held a training session for experimental region researchers participating in the textbook experiment at Peking University. Researchers from Zunyi Prefecture (now Zunyi City), Tongren Prefecture, Tianjin, Hongqiao District of Tianjin, Ning'an City of Heilongjiang Province, and other regions attended. Mr. Zhang attended the session, held a discussion with the participants, encouraged the researchers to take the experiment seriously, and took a group photo with them.
(2) In July of the same year, Peking University Press and the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School Chinese Textbook Compilation Group held a training session for researchers from the second batch of experimental regions at Tsinghua University. Researchers from Henan Provincial Education and Research Institute, Xinxiang City Education and Research Institute, Yuanyang County Education and Research Institute, Cangzhou Prefecture Education and Research Institute of Hebei Province, and Nanning County (Mr. Zhang's hometown) attended. Mr. Zhang attended the session, held a discussion, took a group photo, and delivered a 40-minute speech on the experience and problems of traditional Chinese language education in China, as well as how to reform the backward state of Chinese language education. He proposed that within two years, our children should be able to speak fluently with minimal preparation—standing up and delivering a coherent speech that expresses a complete idea. In reading, they should be able to grasp the key points quickly from a large amount of information. Mr. Zhang also recited Mao Zedong's poems in Hunan dialect and delivered a speech in Sichuan dialect in the style of Chen Yi.
(3) In June 1994, Peking University Press and the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School Chinese Textbook Compilation Group invited Beijing's top Chinese language education experts and distinguished teachers to a symposium at Peking University to gather feedback on the already-published first and second volumes of the textbooks. Mr. Zhang attended the symposium and discussed with the experts, asking them to provide candid opinions on the textbooks, as this was a matter of great responsibility to future generations. At the meeting, Mr. Zhang delivered a speech on how Chinese language education should align with modernization efforts.
(4) In the autumn of 1994, Nanjing's Gulou District began experimenting with the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School Chinese textbooks. In October, Mr. Zhang attended and presided over the "Ye Shengtao and the Times" symposium commemorating the 100th anniversary of Ye Shengtao's birth in Suzhou. Before leaving, he said he wanted to visit Nanjing's Gulou District, so I and Zhang Binfu accompanied him. On the train, Mr. Zhang discussed the current problems in Chinese language education and how to implement heuristic teaching in the classroom, excitedly sharing his thoughts. In Nanjing, he stayed for three days, held discussions with the Jiangsu Provincial Education and Research Institute, Nanjing and Gulou District education bureau leaders, and delivered a two-hour-plus report titled "Chinese Language Education Must Be Scientific, Modern, and Aligned with Modernization Efforts" to middle school Chinese language teachers.
(5) In May 1995, the Hongqiao District Education Bureau of Tianjin held a mid-term summary meeting for the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School experiment. Mr. Zhang had originally planned to attend Tianjin, saying the experiment was hard work and they should visit. However, due to poor health, he couldn't make it and recorded a speech for the compilation group to take to Tianjin, encouraging the teachers in the experimental regions to do well.
(6) In August 1995, Peking University Press and the Zhang Zhigong Junior High School Chinese Textbook Compilation Group held a training session for all experimental region teachers in Shunyi County, Beijing. Mr. Zhang attended the session, delivered a one-and-a-half-hour speech on textbook writing and experimentation, elaborating on the principles of textbook writing and the key contradictions that needed to be addressed. He said, "A textbook must be operable for teachers and acceptable for students," and that the language used in textbooks should "perfectly match the psychological and ideological state of students at their age." He emphasized the purpose of Chinese language teaching—to improve students' reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills, making them smarter—and stressed the role of teachers in the experimental process, highlighting relevant issues to pay attention to. He encouraged teachers to boldly experiment. During the textbook writing process, the compilation group leaders, Zhao Dapeng and Gu Dexi, organized members to study Mr. Zhang's relevant discussions and repeatedly promoted his Chinese language education ideas in the experimental regions. These textbooks largely reflect Mr. Zhang's educational philosophy, and the experiments were conducted in strict accordance with his guidance. Therefore, after the first six volumes of the textbooks were published in January–June 1995, he dictated a letter to the Basic Education Department of the State Education Commission regarding the submission of the junior high school Chinese textbooks. In the letter, he wrote:
"I have been researching Chinese language education for decades. Looking back, I realize I still fall far short of the Party's expectations and the people's needs. The reform of Chinese language education, overall, is not yet ideal. A middle school student, after receiving basic education, still cannot meet the requirements of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. Chinese people struggle even more with their own language than with foreign languages—this is unacceptable! We who work in Chinese language education must take responsibility. Chinese classes should teach knowledge and train skills. But what knowledge should be taught? How should skills be trained? We must explore practical methods to improve the efficiency of Chinese language teaching on a large scale and achieve success. For this reason, I have compiled a set of junior high school Chinese textbooks for the nine-year compulsory education system, focusing on genuinely improving students' Chinese proficiency and doing solid work for future generations. Now, I have completed six volumes. From the experimental results in some regions, the characteristics are significant and have been affirmed. Of course, due to subjective and objective reasons, my textbooks cannot reach an ideal state overnight, and some problems have been discovered during the experiment. We are currently revising them. Therefore, I dare to submit them for review, asking for instructions on handling the relevant procedures."
After this, Mr. Zhang often mentioned that Chinese textbooks should be considered as a unified system from primary to high school, no longer allowing each level to develop independently. With the junior high school textbooks now complete, he encouraged us to proceed with primary and high school textbooks next. When we visited him at the Beijing Hospital, he excitedly shared his new thoughts on the framework of high school Chinese textbooks, making it clear that he deeply longed to compile a set of excellent Chinese textbooks to improve the backward state of Chinese language education in China.
During the process of textbook writing, publishing, and experimentation, we deeply felt the value of Mr. Zhang's Chinese language education philosophy. Researchers and teachers from the experimental regions repeatedly contacted us for learning materials. As we prepared to compile some materials, we visited Mr. Zhang at his home and he mentioned his idea of compiling a self-selected collection. Wang Benhua had already listed the articles, which he had reviewed and approved. There was also a scholarly chronology compiled by Chen Daqing of Xuzhou. I discussed with him whether it should be published separately or attached to the self-selected collection. I suggested attaching it. Mr. Zhang asked if Peking University Press could publish it. I immediately agreed and added it to the press's publishing plan, keeping it in mind ever since.
After Mr. Zhang passed away, one day Wang Benhua called me, asking if the self-selected collection could still be published. I replied, "Of course, I'm waiting for the manuscript! I promised Mr. Zhang that I would keep my word." Wang Benhua told me that the collection contained a lot of text and that Chen Daqing's scholarly chronology would be attached to the Commemorative Collection of Mr. Zhang Zhigong, which I thought was feasible. Now, Mr. Zhang's self-selected collection and the Commemorative Collection of Mr. Zhang Zhigong have been published on the occasion of his 80th birthday and the "Symposium on Zhang Zhigong's Educational Thought." The junior high school Chinese textbooks edited by Mr. Zhang, volumes 1–6, have also been officially published by the State Education Commission. This not only comforts Mr. Zhang but also provides spiritual sustenance for teachers willing to continue the path of Chinese language education reform he pioneered. The only regret is that Mr. Zhang entrusted us with the task of compiling and publishing primary and high school Chinese textbooks, which is now difficult to complete due to his passing. However, what brings me some solace is that Peking University Press has decided to let me take full responsibility for the junior high school Chinese textbooks. I will have the opportunity to conduct in-depth research, gather opinions from all sides, and revise the textbooks to make them better, more perfect, and more suitable for the needs of Chinese language education reform, living up to Mr. Zhang's expectations.